Cake-coating machine.



W. C0STELL0,1II.

CAKE-COMING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. Io. I9 Ie.

Patented Feb; 26,1918.

w. COSTELLQ, JR. CAKE COATIN'G MACHINE. APPLICATION f.lLvED FEB. I0.IQIB.

flu

W. COSTELLO,4 Jn. CAKE`COA-TING MACHINE.

Arnlcmou FILED rea. zo. me.

y Patented Feb.`26.1918.Y

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WILLIAM cosTELLo, m., or FHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAKE-COATING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'Patented Feb.26,1918.

Application filed February 10, 1816. Serial No. 77,507.

To all @hom it may toncern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM COSTELLO,

Jr., a citizen ofthe United States, residing4 such nozzles maybeproperly distributed or disposed upon the cakesz crackers or the likein registry beneath said nozzles.

My vinvention comprises adjustable cake guiding means whereby ways orpassages differing in width for cakes of diiferent .width may beprovided, together with means for moving the cakes alon vsuch ways, incombination with a mova le platform or bridge disposed between thefeedtable and the endless cake carrying belt onto which the cakes are moved,with driving means overlying the said movable platform so that the cakesdelivered onto the same will be maintained in the same position andalinement that they occupied whenon the table.

My invention has been applied to a'cake coating machine of usual type inwhich a carrying belt for the cakes, crackers, &c., is

raised at timed intervals so as to bring the vspaced rows of cakescarried thereby intoccoperative relation With the depositing nozzles,and the feeding means in their broadest aspect are disclosed in-thepatent of P. D. Harten, 1,036,108. i

These and other features of my invention are more fully describedhereinafter, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, in w ich:

Figure 1, is a view in elevation of Sullicient of a cake coating machineto illustrate the improvements foi-ming' the subject of my invention;

Fig. 2, is an enlarged sectional view on the line II-II-, Fig. 3;

'Fig'. 3,'is` a-plan view, and

Fi 4, is a sectional view on the line ,IV- V, Fig. 2.

In the machine ofv the patent referred to,

the cakes were arranged to be fed from a suitable table and alined overa suction device which holds them in coating position, and from thesuction device they were pushed onto an endless belt which carried thecakes forward and discharged them onto suitable boards traversed by aconveyer beneath the endless belt and upon which they remained untildry.

The machine to which my present improvements are applied issubstantially like that before referred to, havin a frame 1, withrollers suitably journale over which an endless cake-carrying belt 2.passes. This belt passes over a bed plate or table 3 which is raised atregular intervals so as to bring the spaced rows of cakes carriedthereby into coperative relation with discharge noz` zles of adepositing device (not shown) one of such nozzles being shown at 4.

The belt is moved forward b suitable means, step-by-step, and during t eperiods of non-forward movement it is raised to bringthe cakes intoosition to receive the coatin zles o the depositing device. Themechanisni for accomplishingthese operations of thc machine is wellknown and common to machines of the type.

In the present invention the cakes are delivered in. proper alinement tothe endless carrying belt 2, und are carried by said belt into' properposition or registry beneath the discharge nozzles 4 of the depositingdevice (not shown). The cakes are iirst fed or placed u on a table 10which is in the form of a fiat ed,'disposed in advance of the depositingdevice.

The means for feeding the cakes across this table or bed comprise chainsor link belts 15 passing over and driven by suitable to the chaindriving wheels 17 by gear' wheels 22 and- 23, respectively; the lattercarried by a shaft 24, and being coupled to a ratchet wheel 25 actuated'by a pawl 26 which receives its movement from a crank 27 mounted on ashaft 28, through the rnedium of a connecting rod 29.

material disc arge-dl fromthe noz- As the cakes are moved forward lglthe blades 18 of the chains 15, they are ally brought to a point Wherethey must leave the feed table 10, and from this they pass onto amovable platform or bridgin member 30 disposed between the end of saidtable 10 and the endless conveyer belt 2. This platform is held in theretracted position adjacent the edge of said table 10 by means ofsprings 31,

and is vmoved forward by engagement of thev By having a movablepllatform or bridging member 30 onto whi the cakes may be moved by theblades 18, provision is made for closing the gap between the feed table10 and the shelf 32, and at the same time the cakes may be advancedontosaid shelf and said blades may pass around the chain wheels. The bladespush the moving platform or bridging member out of the way and cause itto carry the cakes toward the belt 2 where such platform is heldtemporarily with the cakes in sition to be enga ed by a pusher memberwhereby they may e carried from said platform and laced 1n properposition on said conveyerbe t 2. The platform 30 is i so retracted bythes rings 31 immediately after` it is released by e successive blades18 passi under the same. r

i he usher member for moving the cakes from t e platform 30 onto theendless conveyer belt 2 is preferabl of the character illustrated inatents os. 939,836 and 1,036,108, andv itmay consist of or comprise across-bar35 connected at its ends to arms 36, which may be pivotallyconnected at 37, to arms 38, secured to a rock shaft 39 journaled in theframe of themachine. Motion may be imparted to the arms 38 by a link 40driven by a crank 41 on a shaft 42. The

cross-bar 35 may have aseries of depending profectons 43'to engage a.row of'cakes, or ajb ade (not shown same,` and thisbla e may bedplalncessed in the manner illustrate ton Patent, No. 1,036,108, beforereferred to.

the form of the projections 43 or inthe form l of a blade, may'justclear-the surface of the platformor it mayrest upon the same; in.

either instance roperly4 engaging the cakes so asto pusht em from theplatform onto Y the endless conveyer-belt 2. And in most instances, theplanewf the movable platform y30 will be' above the plane of the belt atthe point where the cakes are pushed onto the latter. On the returnmovement of the pusher member, however, it isf necessary to lift the-sarn lso, Aas toI clear the next row of cakes. -to be.r pushed onto thebelt 2 from the. platform 30. For ',this purpose I may dependfrom 'theFor rein the Harl During' the forward movement of the cros's-baritsdepending portlon, whether 1n;

provide the cross-bar 35 or the arms 36, withl ends so that uponcontinued rearward movement ofthe pusher member the ends of the latcheswill stop in the recesses 46 and fulcrum there so as to cause saidlatches to lift the cross-bar 35 clear of the row of cakes'. On theforward movement of the crossbar, the latches will drop down and trailon the rails 47 or the frame of the machine, and the cross-bar willlower into position behind the next row of cakes to be moved from thelatform onto the belt 2.l

In order that t e cakes may be positively uided while being movedforward by the ights or blades 18 of the conveyer chains, I provide thetable 10 .with a plurality of ide ars or rails 50, and the flights orbladgues 18 of the chain are notched at 21 so as to read ily pass overthe same.l By this means the table may be arranged to accommodate four,six, eight or ten cakes in width; the number depending upon thedimensions of the lame. 4 In the present arrangement, the table,

l10 'is shown as provided 'with the greatest number of rails it willaccommodate for the smallest cakes to be coated; the same proguidewaysfor ten cakes, which are i v vidin move along Vby the flights or bladesof the chain onto the movable platform 30, which inturn is shifted bysaid flights so as .to bring the same into relatively close proximitywith the belt 2 and'onto which said lof thera'ils are'preferably freesince theyl will be maitainedin the proper position,

passingoveithe same.- l

When relatively narrowI cakes are ding fed' tothe'endless belt 2,21preferably 1 laterally and vertically by the bladgs ,18

micia; 56 .in line wah-themas 5o @fille table 10, and between which' thecakes `allie moved; being delivered to the spaces on \tl e plato 55between the partitions 56 by the flights of the chain and moved from thesame by, the depending projections 43 of the pusher member. The*vpartitions forming these spaces'arerclatively wedge-shaped, as clearlyillustrated in the plan Iview, so as to insure pro er alinemnt of narrowcakes and, as wil be noted 'in Fig. l2, these partitint I upon theslidable platform 30, a secondplatc' .55, having a jpluralitv of guiderails ormai'- tion elements are moved forward and overlie the belt 2;the platform being held by a con veyer flight, before the cakes are4freed from the same. By this means definite and exact alinement of thecalies'is insured. 'When After the cakes have been passed onto the belt,their movemen-t to the-icing point or point 'where coating material isdeposited from` the nozzles 4 is wholly under the control of the belt,and in the timin of the movements of thejvarious parts of t e mech--anisin, including the timing of the movements of thebelt l2; thecakesare moved away from the platform, and particularly away from thepa'rtitions of the plate 55, before said plate and the platform '30 areretracted. 'By tliisrmeans .the danger of displacement ofthe cakes bythese guides is prevented.

l/Vhile I have described means for moving regular numbers of cakesacross the table 10 4and means for moving them onto the belt :2,

,the pusher means, and the endless belt, are

common to machines of this kind, and the usual means will be employedfor ellecting sue-h movements in proper timed relation so that rows ofcakes in 'regular order will be carried by the endless belt Zanddelivered by the latterto the drying boards.

'Y l l. In a cake coating machine, a l'eed table,-

alplurality of rails adjustably mounted on' .said table and formingguide-Ways between which cakes' may be positioned, movable I illatltfoverl ying fsa/id rails for engaging and I' 'iiiovin'fr AheA cakes' eachvof said blades bein provid;y vith a pluralityof notches seas toaceon'iniod'ate the 'railsfwhen the latter areL disposed in auyof theirvarious positions,` inl combination with a movable 4platform-reeeiviii1f tlu=Y v:akesdelivered' b 'said blades from the gui-le-waysbetween t erails; said platform beingpushed out ofthe wayjat inter.- vals by themoving blades, and an endless.

cakes from said movable:

cari-vingv belt. receiving the spaced eakeSf fromy said movableplatform. Y'

' 2, In a cake coating machine, al feed table,V

a plurality of rails adjustably mounted on said table and formingguide-ways between which cakes are positioned, movable blade v overlyingsaid rails for engagin and moving the cakes; eeen of said b adesbeingprovided with a plurality of notches so as.

to accommodate the rails when the latter are disposed in any of theirvarious positions2 a movable platform receiving the cakes deliv ered bysaid blades, said platform being pushed out of' the way at .intervals bythe moving blades, and guiding .means carried by said platform inannement with the guide rails of the feed table, in combination with abelt receivingfthe .cakesl from the movable platform.

.3. In a cake coating machine, the, combination of a feed table, aplurality of endless eonveyer chains, pusher or eonveyer i'gbts carriedb said chains, guide rails on: the table, sai flights bein slotted forpassage over the rails, an end ess eonveyer belt, a. shiftable'bridgebetween thefeed Vtable and the conveyor belt, and uidingmeans earried bysaid bridgein line with the guide rails of the feed TVtable andoverlying said conveyer belt. l

4. In a cake coating machine, th

nation of a feed table, a plurality oA endless conveyor chains formoving. cakes across the same, an lendless conveyer belt, a shiftablebridge between the feed table and the conveyer belt., .guiding means`carried by "said bridge and overlying said eonveyer belt, and ineansformoving the cakes.from'said-bridge through its guiding meansontoithefendless conveyor belt. f

' 5'. Iii-a cake coating machine, a feed table, a plurality ofadjustably mounted rails forming guide-ways between which. cakes arepositioned carried by said feed t ble; each of said rails havingpositioning pi Yami-the table having a plurality of rece. ses to ieceivesaid pins whereby a pluvality of guideways of various widths may beprovided on said table, 'endless chains mounted at the sides of thetable, andinovable blades carried by said chains forei'igaging andmoving the cakes on said table; said blades being provided with apluralitv of notches to overiro con veyer belt disposed beyolid thefeedtable, a movable platform reeeiglnglig the 'cakes delivered saidvvblades from..tl'ie spaces bef -tweentlie rails of the feed table',said ,platforni b einginished for-wand out of the' way by the blades,and means formovin,g t1 1e 'platform onto the endless eon'veyer belt. i

WILLIAM cosTELto, JR.

